The Book of Jonah

Jonah, son of Amittai, was a prophet who was from Gath-hepher in the northern kingdom (Israel) (2 Kings 14:25b, Jonah 1:1). He was prophet when Jeroboam II, son of Joash, was king of Israel, and Amaziah, son of Joash, was king of the southern kingdom (Judah), see Kings of Judah and Israel. (2 Kings 14:23–25). 

The Lord called Jonah to go to Nineveh, and call out against it, for their evil had come up before God (Jonah 1:1–2, Nahum 3:1–4). Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which eventually conquered the northern kingdom (Israel). The Babylonian Empire later conquered the Assyrian Empire and then conquered Judah. 

The Assyrian Empire was greatly hated by the Jews. Jonah knew the Lord, that he is a gracious and forgiving God, see God's Attributes, and that there was a risk that he would forgive them if they repented if he went to Nineveh and prophesied about their evil (see below). Jonah therefore fled from the Lord, because he didn't want them to repent and be forgiven. He tried to go in the opposite direction than to Nineveh. Jonah found a ship going to Tarshish. (Jonah 1:3, 4:2).

We can't flee from the presence of God (Psalm 139:7–10). The Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. Jonah told the men on the ship that the reason for the storm was because he fled from the Lord's presence. He then told them that the sea would calm down if they threw him overboard. When they did, the sea stopped raging. Then the men feared the Lord, they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
(Jonah 1:4–16). See To Fear the Lord in Fear of Man.

The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah lay in the belly for three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17 (2:1 in some translations)). Similarly, Jesus would be in the tomb for three days and three nights before his resurrection from
the dead, something Jesus foretold his disciples on several occasions, see
2) Passover (Jewish Easter) in When Did Jesus Die and when Was He Born?

Jesus here refers to Jonah being in the fish as a historical event. For example, the fish could have been a sperm whale that sometimes moves in the Mediterranean.
(In ancient times, no distinction was made between fish and marine mammals.)
God created a situation in the fish so that Jonah could breathe and pray.

Jonah prayed to the Lord from the belly of the fish (Jonah 2:1–9 (2–10 in some translations)). And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out onto the
dry land (Jonah 2:10 (11 in some translations)).

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time and told him to go to Nineveh and call out against it the message that the Lord was going to tell him. Jonah obeyed God and did it. Jonah had learned obedience to God the hard way, see 
The Ten Commandments. He called out that Nineveh would be overthrown after 40 days. And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and clothed themselves in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to
the least of them. (Jonah 3:1–5). 

The king of Nineveh took off his robe, clothed himself in sackcloth, and sat down in ashes. He issued a proclamation that neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, would taste anything, that man and beast would be covered with sackcloth and that they would call out mightily to God. Each one should turn from his evil way and from the violence that was in his hands. They repented. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he didn't do it. (Jonah 3:6–10).

God said through Jeremiah: "At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot it, to tear it down, or to destroy it. If that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I planned to bring on it." (Jer 18:7–8).

This mercy of God displeased Jonah. He told the Lord that this was why he fled from him, for he knew that God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. God answered Jonah that Jonah felt sorry for a plant for that he hadn't made to grow. Shouldn't God have pity on 
Nineveh where there were more than 120,000 people and many animals.
(Jonah 4:1–11).

Jesus said of Nineveh: "The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here." (Mat 12:41, Luk 11:32).

See also Confronting Meaningless Religion.

However, Nineveh returned to its evil behavior a hundred years later, 
see The Book of Nahum.

See also The Prophet Books in the Old Testament.

The Book of Obadiah

Obadiah was raised up to give a message once. His message was about the Edomites. They were neighbors with the Jews, but also relatives. They were descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.

God deals with the following principles through the prophet Obadiah:

1. We aren't to rejoice when our enemy falls or stumbles. The Lord notes it on how we react to our enemies and disapprove of such behavior. 
   (Pro 24:17–18). We can be guided in our behavior by knowing God's heart.
2. He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Mat 23:12, Luk 14:11, Psalm 138:6, Pro 29:23, James 4:6,
   1 Pet 5:5b), see 3) Blessed are the meek in The Sermon on the Mount.
3. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back on him. (Pro 26:27, 28:10, Ecc 10:8a, Psalm 7:15 (16 in some translations),
   9:15 (16 in some translations), 57:6b (7b in some translations). 
   Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap (Gal 6:7).
4. Those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed (Gen (1 Mos) 12:1–3, Num (4 Mos) 24:9b). It's therefore important for a country to have good relations with Israel. God still has a plan for Israel, see The Sheep and the Goats.

The reason Obadiah prophesied against the Edomites was because they violated these principles. They cursed the Israelites. When Moses led the Israelites toward the Promised Land, they came to the border of Edom. When they asked the king of Edom for permission to pass through their land, they were refused. The Israelites then turned away and had to take another way.
(Num (4 Mos) 20:14–21).

The reason the Israelites then didn't attack the Edomites was that God had said to Moses: "You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful.
Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land,

no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.
You shall purchase food from them with money, that you may eat, and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink.
For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing." (Deu (5 Mos) 2:1–8). 
The Israelites shouldn't abhor them (Deu (5 Mos) 23:7a).

After Judah went into exile to the Babylonian empire, after they were taken captive, the Edomites migrated north to the southern area of Judah. The area was renamed Idumea. The map to the right shows the kingdom of Edom (in red) at its largest extent. The area in
dark red shows the approximate border of Idumea. 

Herod the Great wasn't a Jew, he was an Idumean. 
He killed all the male children in Bethlehem and that region who were two years old or younger after the birth of Jesus, see The Christmas Star.

See also 3.2 Israel Defeats Amalek in Moses; Part 9: Provision from God. The Amalekites were descendants to Esau (Gen 36:12, 1 Chron 1:35–36).

Obadiah received a vision from God that the nations would do to Edom like what happened to the Jews of Judah, who were taken captive to the Babylonian empire
(Oba 1:1–2).

• They acted against the first principle above, they acted with happiness when the Jews were taken to the Babylonian empire. They shouldn't have rejoiced over what happened to the people of Judah on the day of their downfall (Psalm 137:7, Oba 1:11–12,
  Ezekiel 25:12–14, 35:5–6, 8, 10–13). 
• The pride of their hearts had deceived them (Oba 1:3–9). See the second principle above.
• As they had done to Judah, that would return to them, according to the third principle above (Oba 1:15).
• They took advantage of Judah's misery. Because of their violence they did to Judah they would be cut off forever (Oba 1:10, 13–16, 
  Ezekiel 35:3–4, 7, 9, 14–15). The Jews would return to Israel, but the 
  Edomites would be destroyed (Oba 1:17–21). No Edomites exist today.
  See the fourth principle above.

See also The Prophet Books in the Old Testament.

The Book of Joel

Joel, the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1), was a prophet in the southern kingdom (Judah).

Through Joel, God tells the people to repent (Joel 1:13–14). The Day of the Lord
is near (Joel 1:15, 2:1). The fact that the locusts have invaded the land is evidence that there need to be an attitude of repentance among the people (Joel 1:4). 

An army will move up to the land of Israel (Joel 2:2–9). It will take place at 
The Day of the Lord, when the sun and the moon are darkened and the stars withdraw their brightness (Joel 2:10–11). Antichrist will then attack Israel at the
end of the Great Tribulation and then Jesus returns, see Prophecies of Jesus' Second Coming. They will come as the locusts had come before. In the near future the Babylonians came and attacked the land of Judah, see Prophet Jeremiah. 

This prophetic principle of two parallel meanings is called "The law of double reference", and is described in Visions and Dreams by Prophet Daniel.

The people therefore needed to return to God with all their hearts, with fasting, weeping, and mourning (Joel 2:12–17). The sacrifice God wants to see is a broken spirit from pride, a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17 (19 in some translations). If they repented, God would have mercy on the people and save them from their enemies (Joel 2:18–27). Unfortunately, the people didn't repent. This resulted in the Babylonians coming and conquering Judah.

Joel then gives another example of a prophesy according to 
"The law of double reference", but with several fulfillments:

1. God will pour out his Holy Spirit. Our sons and daughters will prophesy, old men will dream dreams, and young men will see visions. (Joel 2:28–29).
   This began when the disciples were baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17–18), see The Gift of Tongues. 
2. It will happen that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:32a, Acts 2:21), see Salvation. This is the age we live in (Rom 10:13).
3. The sun will turn into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome The Day of the Lord comes. (Joel 2:30–31, 3:15–16, 
   Acts 2:19–20). This occurs when the sixth seal is opened, see
   The Horses in the Book of Revelation.
4. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls." (Joel 2:32).
   See this described in The Depth of the Riches in The Book of Romans.
   This occurs when Antichrist attacks Israel at the end of the Great Tribulation
   followed by the return of Jesus, see Prophecies of Jesus' Second Coming. 

When Jesus returns, he will gather all the nations and bring them down to judgement. This is done partly on behalf of how they have treated Israel, if they have scattered the Jews among the nations and have divided the land of Israel.
(Joel 3:1–6, 12–14, 19). Blessed are those who bless Israel, and cursed are those who curse Israel (Gen (1 Mos) 12:1–3, Num (4 Mos) 24:9b), see 
The Sheep and the Goats. God will then bless and protect the people of Israel,
and the country will be restored (Joel 3:16b–18, 20–21), see 
The Millennial Kingdom in The Prophecies of Isaiah. See The Book of Amos.

See also The Prophet Books in the Old Testament.

The Book of Amos

Amos was a shepherd when he was called by God (Amos 1:1a, 7:14–15). His prophetic ministry was under Uzziah, king of the southern kingdom (Judah), and in the time of Jeroboam II, king of the northern kingdom (Israel), two years before a big earthquake (Amos 1:1b, Zec 14:5b). See Uzziah of Judah and
Jeroboam II of Israel in Kings of Judah and Israel.

He was called to tell the people of Judah and Israel that their prosperity wasn't evidence of blessings from God. Both Judah and Israel were experiencing a time of prosperity at that time. This is a difficult time to share the need for a Savior. They took their prosperity as an unmistakable sign that they were blessed by God, to be compared to Laodicea in The Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation. 

The people longed for The Day of the Lord to come, which they believed would only remove their enemies (Amos 5:18–20). That wasn't the case.
Judah and Israel would be judged: 

• Judah had forsaken the Mosaic Laws in the Old Covenant and worshipped other gods (Amos 2:4–5). 
• Israel sought to become rich by exploring the poor (Amos 2:7, 4:1, 5:11, 8:4, 6). They have abandoned all that God had told them to be right, good, and true. (Amos 2:6–16, 3:2, 5:10–11a, 12). There was an agreement between God and Israel, which Israel didn't follow (Amos 3:3). It would therefore have consequences for Israel (Amos 3:4–6, 11). About 20 years after Amos began his prophesy, Israel ceased to be a nation (Amos 5:27). 
  However, a remnant would be saved (Amos 3:12, 5:3, 9:8b–9).
  See this described in The Depth of the Riches in The Book of Romans.

God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets
(Amos 3:7). God warns us to give us the opportunity to repent.

Key themes from the book of Amos:

1. God is the Creator of the universe (Amos 4:13, 5:8), see Evidence for Creation. Hence his ethical standards are universal, and all men are subject to judgement in the light of them, see The Sheep and the Goats.
2. Correct treatment of other people is the key evidence of a right relationship with the Lord, see The Golden Rule in The Sermon on the Mount.
3. Rituals in the absence of proper treatment of others are disgusting to God, see Confronting Meaningless Religion.
4. Israel's Old Covenant with the Lord didn't guarantee them special protection when they broke his Law. Then bad things would happen to them in order to make them repent and come back to him (Amos 4:6–11). If they didn't repent, they would be subject to harsher judgments, as they were held to a higher standard of obedience. Judgment begins at God's household (1 Pet 4:17).
   See also Jesus and the Law.
5. The Day of the Lord wouldn't be a time for miraculous deliverances from Israel's enemies. Rather, it would be a time of terrible destruction and darkness, especially for the northern nation of Israel (Amos 5:18–27).
6. The following is about The Millennial Kingdom in The Prophecies of Isaiah:
   "In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and will rebuild the ruins of it, and will set up the parts thereof that have been broken down, and will build it up as in the ancient days: that the remnant of men, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, may earnestly seek, saith the Lord who does all these things. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when the harvest shall overtake the vintage, and the grapes shall ripen at seedtime; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall be planted. And I will turn the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities, and shall inhabit; and they shall plant vineyards, and shall drink the wine from them; and they shall form gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them on their land, and they shall no more be plucked up from the land which I have given them, saith the Lord God Almighty." (Amos 9:11–15 (LXX)).
   
   It's quoted by Jesus' half-brother James: "After they finished speaking,
   James replied: 'Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, 'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.''"(Acts 15:13–18).
   
   It's used as a proof that even the Gentiles are called by God and that they don't have to be circumcised. See the end of Paul's First Missionary Journey,
   and time 5:24–11:07 in The Septuagint (LXX).

For more information see: 

• The Book of Joel
• The Book of Hosea
• The Book of Micah
• The Book of Habakkuk

See also The Prophet Books in the Old Testament.

The Book of Hosea

The prophet Hosea ("The Lord is salvation") worked in the northern kingdom (Israel) shortly after Amos, see The Book of Amos. Samaria was the capital of this northern kingdom. Jerusalem was the capital of the southern kingdom (Judah).

Hosea's prophetic ministry was during the reign of Jeroboam II (son of Joash) who was king of the northern kingdom (Israel) (Hos 1:1, 2 King 13:13), see
Jeroboam II of Israel in Kings of Judah and Israel.

It was during the reigns of the following kings of the southern kingdom (Judah):

• Uzziah, see Uzziah of Judah in Kings of Judah and Israel.
• Jotham.
• Ahaz, see Ahaz of Judah.
• Hezekiah, see King Hezekiah of Judah.

The economic prosperity of the northern kingdom had turned into moral decay and religious syncretism. God uses Hosea's marriage to the unfaithful Gomer to show how the people have betrayed the covenant with him (chapters 1-3). He rebukes and warns (4-10) while standing firm in his love (11-13). 

Hosea's prophecies became God's final warning to this northern kingdom. God's judgment came later in 722 BC through the Assyrian great power, and most of Israel was deported to foreign lands (2 Kings 17). Hoshea would be the last king to rule over Israel, see Hoshea of Israel in Kings of Judah and Israel. 

Hosea prophesied primarily to the nation of Israel. His main focus was Baal worship, it was a pagan faith. This, according to Hosea, was the main cause of Israel's downfall. Hosea reminds the people of Israel that they are the bride of the Lord. 
By being so, they have been unfaithful in worshiping Baal.

The Lord told Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman and have children with her, because as an unfaithful wife Israel was guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord
(Hos 1:2). Hosea's life would become a parable for Israel's life.

Hosea therefore married Gomer (Hos 1:3). Hosea brings three children with her:

1. A son called Jezreel (Hos 1:4a). He is named after the Jezreel Valley where there had been a massacre (2 Kings 9:9–10). God will bring an end to the kingdom of Israel (Hos 1:4b–5).
2. A daughter called Lo-Ruhamah, meaning "not loved" (Hos 1:6a). God will no longer show love to Israel. But he will show love to Judah and save them.
   (Hos 1:6b–7). Later, Judah will also be deported, see the Prophet Jeremiah.
3. Another son called Lo-Ammi, which means "not my people" (Hos 1:8–9a).
   The people of Israel aren't God's people, and God isn't their God (Hos 1:9b). 
   But in the future they will be called 'children of the living God'. The people of Judah and the people of Israel will then come together.
   (Hos 1:10–11, 14:5–8). For the complete fulfillment of this prophesy, see 
   The Millennial Kingdom in The Prophecies of Isaiah.

Hosea then expresses tough love for his unfaithful wife, with the intention of winning her back (Hos 2–3). This is a picture on how God will deal with Israel. God wants to get their intention and through hardship make them turn back to him (Hos 5:15b). We should endure hardship as discipline, see the first part of The Book of James.

God said through Hosea to the people of Israel:

• There was no faithfulness or steadfast love and no knowledge of God in the land (Hos 4:1b). The people were destroyed because of lack of knowledge
  (Hos 4:6a). We Christians can't love the world and Jesus at the same time.
  The sign of love is obedience to God's commandments (John 14:15,
  1 John 5:3), see Jesus and the Law.
• There was swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery. They broke all boundaries and bloodshed followed bloodshed. Therefore the land mourned. (Hos 4:2–3). There would be consequences beyond their own lives, that is, on their land, when they disobeyed God.
• They accused each other of different things, which was wrong (Hos 4:4).
  See Dealing With Sin in the Church.
• Their prophets stumbled (Hos 4:5). They had false teachers (Hos 4:8–9).
  See Jesus Denouncement of the Jewish Religious Leaders.
• They would eat, but not be satisfied (Hos 4:10). It's a metaphorical language that they searched for satisfaction and happiness, but all they got was temporary excitement. If you live to please yourself, you will never have enough. See The Parable of the Prodigal Son.
• A people without understanding will be ruined (Hos 4:14b). 
  A biblical principle is that any nation, city, or household divided against itself will not stand (Mat 12:25) 
• Their love was like a morning cloud, like the dew that disappeared early
  (Hos 6:4b). It means that they were miserable about their suffering and came back to God, who rescued them. Then they quickly lost their heart for God and returned to their former sinful life. This behavior can be seen in The Book of Judges. There was no long-term change in their lives
  (Hos 7:14). It was just a desire to feel better. Godly sorrow leads to a change in the mind that is permanent.
• They sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind (Hos 8:7a). It means that a man reaps what he sows. "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Gal 6:7–8).
• When Israel prospered, their hearts became deceitful (Hos 10:1, 13:6), see Laodicea in The Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation.
  They then turned away from the Lord. 

"For I (God) desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hos 6:6). Jesus said: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.
For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mat 9:13).

Hosea also prophesied about the time when Jesus will return (Hos 6:1–2),
see End of Time at the end of When Did Jesus Die and when Was He Born?

See also The Prophet Books in the Old Testament.

Apostle Paul's Journey to Rome as Prisoner

When the apostle Paul came back to Jerusalem after his third missionary journey
he met James, Jesus' half-brother, and the elders of Jerusalem. Paul told them what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard of it, they began to glorify God; and said to him: "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor to walk according to the customs. So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Therefore, do as we tell you: we have four men who have a vow upon themselves; take them along and purify yourself together with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and then everyone will know that there is nothing to what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also conform, keeping the Law. But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we sent a letter, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and what is strangled, and from sexual immorality." Then Paul took the men with him, and the next day, having purified himself with them, he departed into the temple giving notice when the days of purification were completed and the sacrifice was offered to each one of them. (Acts 21:17–26).

For information about this letter, see the last part of Paul's First Missionary Journey.

There were many Jews in Jerusalem who were very protective of the Mosaic Laws.
Because of that, they were a threat to Paul, because of what he learned about following the Mosaic Laws, see The Book of Galatians. They therefore proposed a plan to pacify these Jews, especially those who were believers in Christ, but still protective to the Law. These Jews who had become believers hadn't been around long enough to understand the separation between Judaism and Christianity.
Paul had also said:

"To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law." (1 Cor 9:20–21).

The reason for these words was to be able to more easily reach unbelievers with the gospel of Jesus Christ. See also Jesus and the Law.

The vow was probably a Nazirite vow (Num (4 Mos) 6:1–21). A Nazirite was a person who for a time surrendered to God and let his hair grow. After the vow period, they would usually go through a week-long purification process. Paul knew that this wasn't part of salvation. It was part of the Jewish way of doing things but not part of the Christian way of doing things. It was just a matter of personal devotion to God done in a Jewish way. See this further explained at time 4:26–14:02 in 
Muslim Claims The Apostle Paul Was a Liar & a Deceiver | Hamza's Den Refuted.

When the seven days of purification were almost over, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, began to stir up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, accusing him of instructing everyone everywhere against the Jews, the Law, and the temple, and falsely that he had brought Greeks into the temple. Then the whole city was provoked, and the people rushed together and seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. While they intended to kill him,
a report came to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. He immediately took with him some soldiers and centurions, and ran down to the crowd; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander came forward and seized him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began to ask who he was and what he had done. But among the crowd some shouted one thing and some another, and when he couldn't find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered Paul to be brought into the barracks. When Paul came to the stairs, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; for the multitude continued to follow them. (Acts 21:27–36).

When Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the tribune to speak to the people. When he had given him permission, Paul talked to the people in Hebrew. He then gave his testimony of his conversion to Christianity 
(Acts 21:37–22:16), see Paul the Apostle. Giving a testimony of how a person comes to Christ is a powerful way to reach unbelievers.

He also said that God had told him to send him far away to the Gentiles to preach the gospel. These Jews couldn't accept that the gospels were also for the Gentiles and therefore said that Paul shouldn't live. (Acts 22:17–23).

Similarly, a Jewish crowd wanted to kill Jesus when he spoke in a synagogue and said that Elijah wasn't sent to any Jewish widow, only to a Gentile widow, and Elisha wasn't sent to any lepers in Israel, only to Naaman the Syrian. (Luk 4:25–30).
For many Jews it was difficult to understand and accept that the gospel also was
for the Gentiles.

For the next four years (two years in Caesarea (see below) and two years in Rome), Paul had a hard time as a prisoner. But it gave him time to write the following letters which he might not have had time to do if he hadn't gone back
to Jerusalem and was arrested:

• The Book of Ephesians.
• The Book of Philippians.
• The Book of Colossians.
• 2 Timothy, see The Book of Timothy.
• The Book of Philemon.

What happened to him became an advantage for the gospel (Phil 1:12–14).
Paul wrote the following central Christian doctrines during this time:

• "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
  (Eph 2:8–10).
• "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil 2:5–8).
• "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in Heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Col 1:15–17).

The commander wanted to flog Paul and stretched him out with straps. This was interrupted when Paul said that he was born as a Roman citizen. The next day the commander released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Jewish Council
to assemble, and he brought Paul down and set him before them. When a great dissension then occurred, the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, and he ordered the troops to go down and take him from them by force, and brought him into the barracks. But the following night the Lord stood by him and said: "Be courageous! For as you have testified to the truth about Me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome also." (Acts 22:24–23:11). 

The Jews formed a conspiracy and tried to kill Paul. When this was detected, Paul
was brought to the governor Felix in Caesarea. Paul was kept there in Herod’s Praetorium. Paul is basically under house arrest. Felix with his Jewish wife Drusilla heard Paul speak about faith in Christ Jesus. But when Paul discussed
righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said that he would summon him when he wanted to hear more.

At the same time, he hoped to get money from Paul, and so he used to send for him quite often and talk to him. After two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus.
Felix left Paul imprisoned because he wanted to do the Jews a favor. 
(Acts 23:12–24:27).

The chief priests and leading men of the Jews accused Paul. They were pleading to Festus and asked for a concession against Paul that he be taken to Jerusalem (along with an ambush to kill him on the way). Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul if he would be willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before him on their charges. Paul replied that he had done no wrong to the Jews, and
he appealed to Caesar. Festus ordered Paul to be kept in custody until he could send him to Caesar in Rome. (Acts 25:1–12).

Several days later, king Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, where they visited
Festus. Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, who wanted to hear the man himself. Paul then gave his testimony of his conversion to Christianity to Agrippa
and Bernice to the governor and to those who sat with them (Acts 26:4–18),
see Paul the Apostle. Afterwards they told each other Paul did nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. Agrippa said to Festus that Paul might have been freed 
if he hadn't appealed to Caesar. (Acts 25:13–26:32). 

Appealing to Caesar was part of God's plan (Acts 23:11). Getting freedom from the Roman wasn't the goal for Paul. The goal was to testify about Jesus to both small and great (Acts 26:22a). It was up to God how to do it.

Then it was decided to sail for Rome. They tried to reach Phoenix, a harbor in Crete, and spend the winter there. As neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and a big storm assailed them, all hope of their needing to be saved was slowly abandoned. (Acts 27:1–20). They were 276 people on the ship in all (Acts 27:37).

Paul then told them to take courage, for there would be no deaths among them,
but the ship would be lost. An angel of God had come to Paul and said:
"Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you all those who are sailing with you." (Acts 27:21–26). 

They hit a reef and ran the ship aground and began to break up due to the force of the waves. The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape. But the centurion, who wanted to bring Paul through safely, prevented them from carrying out their purpose. He commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and come ashore, and the rest should follow, some on planks and others on various things from the ship. And so it came to pass that they were all brought safely to land. (Acts 27:27–44). 

The island they came to was called Malta. There a viper came out and attached itself to Paul's hand. Paul shook off the creature in a fire and suffered no harm.
Paul prayed for a man there who was bedridden and suffering from recurrent fever and dysentery. He laid hands on him and healed him.
After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases came to him and were cured. (Acts 28:1–10). Paul is now at the center of God's will.
Being at the center of God's will may involve hardship and suffering. God allowed the shipwreck to happen so that Paul could share the gospel in Malta for three months (Acts 28:11a).

After a long journey, they finally arrived in Rome (Acts 28:11–15). When they entered Rome, Paul was left to himself, with the soldier guarding him 
(Acts 28:16). There Paul called together those who were the leading men among 
the Jews to whom he described what had happened, and they wanted to hear from Paul what he had to say about Jesus (Acts 28:17–22). 

People came to him in his lodgings in large numbers, and he explained to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning to evening. Some were persuaded by what Paul said, but others wouldn't believe. (Acts 28:23–24). Some of the Jews had difficulties accepting that the gospel was also for the Gentiles (Acts 28:25–28).

Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented accommodation and welcomed all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. (Acts 28:30–31).

See also Paul the Apostle.